Electric light socket



Se t. 8, 1931. I w. 'r. BiRUNTON 1,822,434

ELECTRIQ LIGHT SOCKET Filed Oct. 3. 1929 lNl ENTOR.

WHLTER '1'. ERUNTU N.

5 v Ml/W A A TTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 8, 1931 UNITED STATES PA ENT OFFICE WALTER T. BRUNTON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF TO PAUL LESSING, OF NEW YORK, N. Y. i

ELECTRIC LIGHT SOCKET Application filed October 3, 1929. Serial 1Y0. 397,090.

My invention relates to electric light sockets. More particularly it relates to devices of that class commonly known as pull chain sockets. Still more particularly,my

5 invention relates to a class of sockets, in which the shell forming the enclosure for the interior mechanism of the socket, and the shade holding ring are formed in one piece, and in combination with which is provided a chain guide, afixed to the shade holding ring, to receive the pull chain and provide a support therefor in its operating movement, which guide is so arranged that it will effectively guide the chain when op erated and will prevent it when released,-

from becoming entangled with other mechanisms of the socket, or being otherwise operatively disarranged when the chain is released, after an operative movement thereof.

It is commonly experienced in operating pull chain sockets which are provided with shade holders, that theshade holders are comparatively loosely mounted upon the socket shell and are provided with shade holding screws, or other project-ions around their periphery. As the result of this loose mounting of the shade holder, it frequently occurs that the chain, after its release by the operator, snaps back with a swinging motion and becomes entangled with some of the projecting members on the shade holder. The result follows, that when the operator next attempts to pull the chain, it

is necessary for him to disentangle the chain,

from the projections, before theswitch of the socket can be operated. If he fails to notice the entanglement of the chain, his attempt to operate it frequently results in a breaking of the chain, or a dislodgment of the member which it was entangled with, and also at times, the dislodgment of the shade from the holder, resulting in either breaking the shade or the electric lamp around which it was assembled. These defects I seek to overcome. by the provision of my improved device.

One of the objects of my invention is, to provide a socket in which the enclosing shell of the socket and the shade holding ring are formed as an integral unit.

Another object is, to pr ride on a shade holding ring so integrally formed with the socket shell, a chain guide arranged on the periphery of the ring and in fixed substantially integral relation thereto, which shall guide the chain in its operation, hold it out of engagement with the ring and prevent its entanglement with extended parts on the ring or socket; this will facilitate the operative action of the chain and will at all times maintain the chain in a free, operative condition.

Another object is, to provide a tubular or other supporting guide for the chain which will afford it a suitable, smooth hearing upon which it may travel in its operative movement, and to facilitate thereby its operation.

Another object is, to provide a chain guide with such a formation, and to dispose it in such a position on the ring of the shade holder and in reference to the chain outlet of the socket, that the direction of operating movement of the chain will be at such an angle to the chain outlet in the socket that the resistance, to the movement of the chain therethrough will be reduced to substantially a minimum.

Another object is, to provide a combined socket shell, shade holder, and chain guide,

in a pull chain electric light socket, which.

shall be substantially integral construction, shall have a high degree of efficiency for the purposes intended, shall be of simple design, ofcomparatively few parts, of rigid and durable construction, and of cheap manufacturing cost, and which shall have otheradvantages and results,'someof which appear hereinafter.

My invention consists in the particular combination, organization, and arrangement of parts shown in the drawings, described.

Fig. 2 is a vertical elevation of a fragment of a shade holder, with my chain guide mounted on the periphery thereof, by a holding means of a type modified from that shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is the plan View, partly in section, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1,. looking in the direction of the arrows, showing a portion of the shade holding ring and the chain guide mounted on the periphery thereof, and the construction utilized in combining this shade holding ring with the socket shell as a unit therewith.

Fig. l is a similar View, taken on line 4-l of Fig. 2, showing a modified form of shade holding ring, and the means utilized in this modification to hold the chain guiding tube in assembled operative relation to the ring.

Referring to the drawings, in which like numerals of reference indicate corersponding parts, 10' is the usual form of top hood or cap of the socket, having the usual collar 11, through a central opening in which the wires to be connected to the usual socket may pass to the interior socket mechanism, in the usual manner. It is to be understood that the interior mechanism of the socket may be a suitable. form of pull chain device, ratchet operated or otherwise, as is Well known in the art. My invention does not lie in the particular construction of the interior mechanism of the socket, but rather in the outer enclosing shell and connected parts, and may be applied to a pull chain socket of any usual or suitable type which. may beenclosed by my type of shell.

Extending laterally outwardly, as in any usual type of pull chain socket, I. utilize a chain outlet 12, of the usual tubular formation, provided with a bell end 13. In and through this chain outlet 12 my chain 14,. which is shown here as what is known as the. bead type of chain, operates and extends into the interior of the socket, connected in the usual manner with the socket switch operating mechanisnn As an integral piece or unit, I providean enclosing shell 15, and a shade holding ring. l6 at the lower end thereof. These parts may be stamped, or spun, or otherwise suitably fashioned in a single piece, or they may be made in two pieces, and" welded, brazed,

or otherwise joined as a unit, in any well known mechanical method. In the shell 15', I provide in a suitable position, extending downwardly from the upper edge of the shell, a slot 17, through which projects a usual chain outlet 12, and by means 0t which slot I may assemble my shell 15 in the usual.

manner around the interior mechanism of the socket, and connect it with the dome or cap portion 10 ofthe socket. It is to be understood that theshell 15, is held with. its

upper edge enclosed within the rint portion 18 of the dome or cap 10 in retaining but detachable engagement therewith, by a push fit between these two parts, or by assembly therewith in any other well known manner. It is also to be understood that the shell and ring member of my socket, as well as the parts affixed thereto, may be made of any material suitably sed in the manufacture of electric light sockets, for instance brass, or other sheet metal, or metallic composition, or they may be formed of molded material, such as bakelite or any other suitable molclable substance.

Formed around the edge of the shade holding ring 16', I provide the usual lugs 19, having threaded apertures 20, into which screws 21 are adjustably threaded, to grip and hold, in intended relation, and in the usual manner, any suitable shade to be ried by the socket fixture. Any suitable number of these shade holding screws or other shade retaining means may be provided.

If there are a plurality of these screws, and if a shade holder of a common type oi. construction is loosely mounted upon the shell of the socket, the result of the turning movement of the shade holder, or the swing of the chain when releaseda'tter a pull, the chain might become wound around or entangled with any of these screws, so that the switch of the socket could not he operated until the chain was disent: led. My device prevents this from occurr To prevent this enta1i 1 lemc1it, .l provide, on the periphery of the shade holding ring, a chain guide and bearing 22. 'lhis chain guide 22, I locate in a suitable position on this ring and spaced apart from the share holding screws 21. The guide 22 is preferably of'tubular formation, as shown in the fi'gures of the drawings, but may be of other suitable shape than that shown. I provide on either end. of the guide tube 22, bell shaped end portions 23 and 24. which by reason of their flaredout relation. to the main body of the tube, prevent the chain from becoming undesirably engaged with the two ends of the tube and hindering the movement of the chain, and afford an eiiective bearing surface. at each end oi the tube to facilitate and guide the chain in its move ment. in either direction. It will be seen the tube 22 is areuately bent length-wise, so that its ends extend conareniently free from a shade to be held in the shade holder, and fromthe body of and from the shell portion of the socket It is likewise to be seen that the guide tube 22 is arranged substantially in align-- ment with the chain outlet 12 in the socket, so: that the movement of the chain. will be in a normal direction: from this chainoutlet 12, when: the chain is operated. It will be seen that the upper end of the tubular.

it U15 LItO chain guide extends but a portion out the distance between the shade holding ring and the chain outlet 12, and is spaced from the end of the chain outlet 12.

As the result of the arcuate bend of the chain guide 22, the lower end of the chain guide, and in fact the entire body of the chain guide, is inclined in a direction, relatively to the shell of the socket and to the path of travel of the chain out of the chain outlet 12, so that the operating movement of the chain is swung away from vertical, to ward a direction which would be approximately in line with the horizontal axis of the chain outlet 12. Such a positioning of the guide tubes effects increased efficiency in the operation of the chain, provides a suitable bearing surface in the tube for a free movement of the chain, and tends to relieve undue strain and friction upon all parts of the chain and particularly at the outer end of the chain outlet 12.

It will further be seen, that because I extend the chain guide a substantial distance below the shade supporting ring 16, and direct it away from a shade which might be supported in the ring 16, I prevent that portion of the chain which extends from the lower end of the guide from swinging back, when released, sufficiently to become entangled with the shade supporting screws, and by the presence of this guide tube I prevent any engagement of any other portion of the chain with the shade supporting screws or other projections upon the shade supporting ring.

The guide tube 22 is held in fixed, operative position on the periphery of the shade supporting ring, by a strap 25, which securely clamps in its fixed position, and which strap may, by rivets 26 or welding, or brazing, or otherwise, be joined to the shade supporting ring; or the tube 22 may be formed with the ring as a unit. It is sufiicient that any well known or suitable mechanical method shall be utilized, which will hold this chain guide tube in fixed position upon the periphery of the shade holder.

It will be seen from Fig. 3, that the shade holder 16, which is formed as integral with the shell 15, is of annular formation, and has a top flange portion 27 extending inwardly toward the body of the shell 15, and that this flange portion 27 has extending arm portions 28, unitary and integral therewith, which are spaced apart, suitable distances around the flange portion 27, extend radially toward the shell 15, and are formed thereto in unitary relation, by any suitable mechanical method or means, such as welding or brazing, or may be molded or otherwise formed integral with the shell portion 15.

Between these radial arms 28, vent orifices 29 are provided, by means of which ventilation may be provided between the shade and the electric bulb of the socket. The radial arm portions 28, as is apparent, serve as the means by which the shade supporting ring 16 is retained in operative relation with the shell 15, and by which this I shade supporting ring is made a unit with the shell 15, and by which the shade supporting ring 16 and the parts thereon, including the guide tube 22, are held in fixed operative relation to the socket mechanism and the shell, and to the chain outlet 12.

A modified form of shade holding ring 16, and member connecting it as a unit with the shell 15, is shown in Figs. 2 and 4. These figures also show a modified form of means for holding the uide tube 22 in operative, .fixed relation upon the shade holding rings 16. It will be seen from Fig. 4 that this modification provides a flange, 0r plate-like section 30, on the top of the shade holding ring. This section 30 will be seen to be of substantially greater area and size, and to extend further around the circumferential portion of the shade holding ring 16, than the arms 28 in the type of shade holder shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

This section 30 extends radially inwardly from the periphery of the shade holding ring 16, and is fixedly joined to the shell 15 in any suitable mechanical method which will form it as a unit therewith. This section 30 serves, not only as a reinforcing member and support for the shade supporting ring 16, and as a means to give rigidity to this supporting ring 16, but also provides a base to whichthe strap 31, which I utilize to clamp my guide tube 22 on the periph-' ery of the shade supporting ring 16, may be fixedly attached.

This strap 31 is provided with feet 32, which are arranged to lie uponthe upper surface of the plate 30, and may be fixed thereto by rivets 33, by screws, or may be welded, brazed or otherwise securely attached to the plate 30, to form it as a unit with, and an integral part of the shade supporting ring 16, and its plate portion 30. i I illustrate this modification as additional and convenient form in which to construct the shade holding ring portion of my device, so that under conditions when it may be desirable, the strap 31 assembling the chain guiding tube 22 to the shade holding ring 16, may be fixed to that portion of the structure formed by the plate 30, rather than to the peripheral edge of the shade holding ring 16, as is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4, substantially diametrically opposite the plate 30 and joined to the shade holding ring 16, and integral with the shell 15, I provide a radial arm 28, substantially similar to the radial arms 28, shown in Fig. 3. This, as will be understood, is for the purpose of retaining the shade holding ring 16 in proper, rigid,

operative relation to the shell 15. Between the arm 28 referred to above, and the ends of the plate 30, l .pnovide vent openings 3d, by which ventilation from the interior of the shade may be eltected. These openings are substantially similar to the openings 29, in the form shown in Fig. .3.

It will .be seen that I ll'zliVG provided a device of comparatively few parts, and have asscmblcd as substantially a unitary and integral structure, the shell 15, the shade holding ring 16, and .the guide tube 22, in operative relation to each other and to the other elements of the socket, including the chain outlet 12. It will be seen that the shell member 15 is arranged in non-rotatable relation to the hood or ca) portion 11, at the upper end of the socke and that theguide tube 22, being fixed upon the periphery of the shade holding ring 16, is positioned in fixed aligmnent to the chain outlet 12, and is in fixed relation to the screws or other projectino; means utilized on the shade holding ring to hold the shade therein. It to be seen, that as the result of this fixed relation of the parts, and heir rotatable immovability, and the aligned position of the tube 22 with the outlet 12, as the result of the extension of the tube above and below the shade holding ring 16, and as the result of the arcuately bent shape of the tube 22, I have provided a device which will overcome the defects in pull chain sockets heretofore referred to, and will so dispose the chain that it at all times ready and free for any use, and will prevent any entanglement of the chain with other parts of the socket, and thereby obviate any risk of breaking of the chain as the result of such entanglement, and V burns which might otherwise occur to the on dor, in the absence of a guide tube to h "as ch a in. out of contact with a shade or a lamp carried by the socket.

illtl'iouu'h I have shown a specific form of m invention and have described the same W1 '1 partlcularity, yet I do not wish to be limited thereby, except as the state of the art and appended claims may require, for it is obvious that various modifications and changes in the construction combinations, organization, and arrangement of parts of ti on may be made, without departthe spirit and scope thereof.

amass What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an electric pull chain socket, comprising a pull chain switch actuated mechanism, the combination oi, an outletin said socket, a chain operatively extending through and out of said outlet, a shade holding ring mounted on said socket, and a tubular chain guide mounted on the periphery of said ring, in aligmncnl: with said outlet, operativcly encasing said, chain, :ulaptcd to guide the traa'cllingr movement of said chain and u'evcnt its entanglement with said socket.

2. In an electric pull chain socket, comprising a pull chain actuated meclumism, the combination of, a detachable cncising shell member, a shade lmlding ring mounted thereon, means in said ring adapted to re tain a shade in detachable relation to said shade holding ring, a chain outlet issuing laterally through said encasing shell, a switch actuating chain connected to said switch mechanism, operatively extending through and out of said outlet, a tubular chain guide ope 'ativcly encasing said switch actuating chain, mounted on the periphery of said ring, spaced apart from said shade retaining means on. said ring, and means to hold said chain guide in (fixed relation with said ring, said guide extending above and below said ring substantially in vertical alignment with said outlet but spaced therefrom.

3. In an electric pull chain socket, com prising a pull chain actuated switch mechanism, the combination of, a detachable shell member encasing said switch mechanism, a shade holding ring nonrotatably mounted thereon, means adapted to retain a shade in detachable relation to said shade holding ring, a chain outlet issuing laterally through said encasing shell, a switch actuating chain connected to said switch mechanism operatively extending through and out of said outlet, a tubular arcuately bent chain guide operatively cncasing said switch actuating; chain, mounted on the periphery oi? said ring, spaced apart from and intermediate said shade retaining means, and means to hold said chain guide in fixed relation with said ring, said chain guide being spaced apart from said outlet and extending above and below said ring substantially in line with the direction of pull of said chain from said outlet.

4. In an electric pull chain socket, comprising a pull chain actuated switch mechanism, the combination of, a detachable shell member encasing said mechanism, a shade holding ring nonrotatably mounted thereon, means adapted to retain a shade in detachable relation to said ring, a chain outlet issuing laterally through said encas' g, shell,

a switch actuating; chain connected to said switch mechanism operatively extending through and out of said outlet, a tubular chain guide operatively encasing said switch actuating chain, mounted on the periphery of said ring, spaced from said shade retaining means, and means to hold said chain guide in fixed relation with said ring, said guide extending above and below said ring substantially in alignment with said outlet, with one end spaced from said outlet and its other end displaced outwardly, angularly, from the vertical plane of the periphery of said ring.

5. In an electric pull chain socket, comprising a pull chain actuated mechanism, the combination of, a detachable encasing shell member and a shade holding ring, formed as an integral unit therewith, means adapted to detachably retain a shade in said ring, a chain outlet issuing laterally through said encasing shell, a switch actuating chain connected to said switch mechanism, operatively extending through and out of said outlet, and a tubular chain guide operatively encasing said switch actuating chain, mounted on the periphery of said ring, in fixed substantially integral relation therewith, extending vertically above and. below said ring, substantially in alignment with said chain outlet.

6. In an electric pull chain socket, comprising a pull chain actuated switch mechaanism, the combination of, a detachable encasing shell member and a shade holding ring, formed as an integral unit therewith, means adapted to detachably retain a shade in said ring, a chain outlet issuinglaterally through said encasing shell, a switch actuating chain connected to said switch mechanism, operatively extending through and out of said outlet, atubular, arcuately bent chain guide operatively encasing said switch actuating chain, mounted on the periphery of said ring, spaced apart from said shade retaining means on said ring, and means to hold said chain guide in fixed substantially integral relation with said ring, said guide extending above and below said ring in substantially vertical alignment with said outlet.

7. In combination with an electric pull chain socket and a shade holding ring mounted upon said socket, a guide mounted on the outside of said ring on said ring, and slidably accommodating the socket 3 operating chain along a predetermined inclined path between two points located above said ring, and outwardly away from and below said ring, respectively.

8. In combination with an electric pull chain socket, a shade holding ring mounted upon said socket, and a pull chain normally depending from said socket over the outside of said ring, a chain guide predeterminedly slidably accommodating said chain, disposed substantially in the direction in which said chain normally would depend from said outlet, mounted upon the periphery of said loo 

